So I run a dinner club where we go to a different cuisine each week, because I found out that the long tail in San Francisco is simply just so much longer than a lot of people think!
There’s Eritrean food at New Eritrea, Chamorro(Guamanian) at Prebechu, amazing Afghan food and surprisingly the cheapest beer in the city at Helmand, Mongolian food at Naadam Mongolian, Chinese Peruvian at Cantoo, Uzbek at Sofiya, Nicaraguan at Nicaraguense, Laotian at Lao Table, Syrian food at Palmyra, Tunisian food at Gola, Hungarian at Paprika, and Algerian at Kayma, and even more! Literally whatever cuisine you want is probably somewhere in the city.
I really enjoyed this list. I’m glad you said what you said about the size factor, I’ve always found it so silly to compare SF 1:1 to NYC or LA. SF has a strong A-team imo, the best spots could hang anywhere, but there’s also a lot of overhyped places which (due to the size factor) makes it seem like they’re all overhyped.
Excited to read about Part 2. Here’s some of my recs for the next 90% of SF restaurants you have yet to explore:
Pizza - I’ve live down the street from Tony’s Pizza for almost 10 years so I’m extremely biased, but also I’ve had a front-row seat to their really impressive consistency. After trying almost everything, my go-to order is the Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossom appetizer, the El Jefe Pizza (carnitas, plantains, habanero and orange mist), and the coal-fired New Yorker. The line isn’t even that bad, just do the mobile waitlist. Il Casaro is also very good. Golden Boy is super overrated and not worth the line.
Sandwiches: Little Vine has a fantastic sandwich that most people overlook for Molinari (which is fair given the eggplant parm). Lucca’s Deli in the Marina, Sandy’s in Haight, and Dolores Deluxe are my other go-tos.
Mexican - La Vaca Birria in the mission is my pick for the best burrito, over all the classics. El Buen Comer is my pick for the best Mexican sit down, with red mole worthy of Oaxaca City.
Chinese - Four Kings is my favorite of the ones you listed, although I actually don’t get the squab and go for the beef chow fun + other specials. The fried rabbit they had for a while was divine. Otherwise agree with what you’re saying about the mediocrity.
Korean - San Ho Won IMO is worth the hype for a semi-fancy dinner and Sohn has a great breakfast sandwich.
Vietnamese - next on your list should be Le Soleil in the inner richmond, I still think about the curried short rib on a daily basis.
Sushi - Kuma in nob hill is my pick for the best in the city (almost as good as Mujiri in Oakland).
Middle Eastern - I actually think the entire Bay Area is really lacking in this department. LA and NYC absolutely embarrass the Bay Area when it comes to this cuisine. I haven’t been impressed by any of the hot names.
Nepalese - Yarsa in North Beach does a killer cashew almond curry, which I got by accident once and is now one of my favorite Nepalese dishes in the city. Otherwise, I go back to my hometown of sunnyvale when I want Indian food, shout out Surmai.
Crafty Fox (beer bar in the mission) has the best French fries in the city.
State Bird and next door The Progress on Filmore. Surprised you didn't like La Ciccia - went there a few times and thought they served very good authentic Sardinian food.
So I run a dinner club where we go to a different cuisine each week, because I found out that the long tail in San Francisco is simply just so much longer than a lot of people think!
There’s Eritrean food at New Eritrea, Chamorro(Guamanian) at Prebechu, amazing Afghan food and surprisingly the cheapest beer in the city at Helmand, Mongolian food at Naadam Mongolian, Chinese Peruvian at Cantoo, Uzbek at Sofiya, Nicaraguan at Nicaraguense, Laotian at Lao Table, Syrian food at Palmyra, Tunisian food at Gola, Hungarian at Paprika, and Algerian at Kayma, and even more! Literally whatever cuisine you want is probably somewhere in the city.
+1 on Prubechu
I really enjoyed this list. I’m glad you said what you said about the size factor, I’ve always found it so silly to compare SF 1:1 to NYC or LA. SF has a strong A-team imo, the best spots could hang anywhere, but there’s also a lot of overhyped places which (due to the size factor) makes it seem like they’re all overhyped.
Excited to read about Part 2. Here’s some of my recs for the next 90% of SF restaurants you have yet to explore:
Pizza - I’ve live down the street from Tony’s Pizza for almost 10 years so I’m extremely biased, but also I’ve had a front-row seat to their really impressive consistency. After trying almost everything, my go-to order is the Ricotta Stuffed Squash Blossom appetizer, the El Jefe Pizza (carnitas, plantains, habanero and orange mist), and the coal-fired New Yorker. The line isn’t even that bad, just do the mobile waitlist. Il Casaro is also very good. Golden Boy is super overrated and not worth the line.
Sandwiches: Little Vine has a fantastic sandwich that most people overlook for Molinari (which is fair given the eggplant parm). Lucca’s Deli in the Marina, Sandy’s in Haight, and Dolores Deluxe are my other go-tos.
Mexican - La Vaca Birria in the mission is my pick for the best burrito, over all the classics. El Buen Comer is my pick for the best Mexican sit down, with red mole worthy of Oaxaca City.
Chinese - Four Kings is my favorite of the ones you listed, although I actually don’t get the squab and go for the beef chow fun + other specials. The fried rabbit they had for a while was divine. Otherwise agree with what you’re saying about the mediocrity.
Korean - San Ho Won IMO is worth the hype for a semi-fancy dinner and Sohn has a great breakfast sandwich.
Vietnamese - next on your list should be Le Soleil in the inner richmond, I still think about the curried short rib on a daily basis.
Sushi - Kuma in nob hill is my pick for the best in the city (almost as good as Mujiri in Oakland).
Middle Eastern - I actually think the entire Bay Area is really lacking in this department. LA and NYC absolutely embarrass the Bay Area when it comes to this cuisine. I haven’t been impressed by any of the hot names.
Nepalese - Yarsa in North Beach does a killer cashew almond curry, which I got by accident once and is now one of my favorite Nepalese dishes in the city. Otherwise, I go back to my hometown of sunnyvale when I want Indian food, shout out Surmai.
Crafty Fox (beer bar in the mission) has the best French fries in the city.
State Bird and next door The Progress on Filmore. Surprised you didn't like La Ciccia - went there a few times and thought they served very good authentic Sardinian food.
A lot of places I haven't been and will have to check out, but genuinely curious, have you not eaten at yasijang or zen yai?
I haven't! Good?
Oh wait sorry, I did eat at Yasijang and didn't like it, sadly. Zen Yai is on my list of places to try! 🫡